Our Curriculum
At The Priory, our mission is ‘inspiring a generation to learn, flourish and achieve in a caring, Christian community’. Helping children learn (academically, socially, spiritually, morally, emotionally, and physically), in order for them to achieve their God-given potential, is our core purpose.
Our Curriculum Intent
The basis of our curriculum is:
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Our curriculum is AMBITIOUS. We are aspirational for our pupils and wish for them to encounter the very best information, knowledge, experiences and opportunities in a broad range of areas.
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Our curriculum is COHERENT. We have carefully sequenced our curriculum so that children’s understanding progresses over time.
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Our curriculum is ENGAGING. Experiences and opportunities are embedded, with pupils provided opportunities to reflect on their learning. Our curriculum is designed to be inclusive of all learners.
We recognise our unique context as a school in the heart of the historic coastal town of Christchurch, as a school rooted in its local, national and global community.
Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all learners through teaching delivered by teachers who know the content and teach with passion and precision. We want our school community to develop a deep and life-long love of learning. We aspire to share the very best of what has been thought and said, across continents and cultures, in each subject discipline.
We aim to deliver a rounded education, educating the heart as well as the head in order to lay a foundation for life. Our curriculum incorporates a range of opportunities for personal development, taught through approaches to behaviour, spirituality, worship, PSHE, wellbeing, pupil leadership, Global Neighbours and British Values.
A Curriculum For All
At The Priory, we believe that all children, including those experiencing disadvantage or with special educational needs, are ‘made to flourish’. In line with research and guidance, such as the EEF’s SEND in mainstream report, we recognise that all children have common needs, such as the need to receive effective teaching, whilst learners will also have specific or individual needs.
We strive to ensure that a positive and supporting learning environment is provided for all children, and prioritise high-quality teaching strategies as the most effective strategy to improve learning for all children.
Supplementing this are strategies to support individual learners, implemented using a graduated approach. As a small school, we benefit from our class teachers being able to work closely with our SENCo, and, combined with close contact with support staff and parents and carers, these people have a deep understanding of the needs of individuals within classes.